Racket and string holding elements

ABSTRACT

A racquet has elements to link its stringing to the frame within which the stringing is held. Each element is hooked by means of a lug at one end into the frame and at the other end engages a next adjacent element. At the one end the lug is an S-bend linked to a middle portion of the element by a slight reverse bend. At the other end engagement is achieved by an open hook, linked to the middle portion by a bend in the same direction as the reverse bend. The middle portion and hook lie in one plane, whereas the lug lies in another plant substantially perpendicular to the first plane. The elements hold each other firmly in place around the frame and stringing further secures them in place. The mode of stringing disclosed is advantageous in avoiding acute bending of the strings and disposing the stringing in the plane of the holes into which the elements hook. Only one type of element is required, with a slight modification for only the last element to be put into position.

United States Patent 11 1 Lacoste Dec.2, 1975 1 1 RACKET AND STRINGHOLDING ELEMENTS [75] Inventor: Jean Rene Lacoste, Paris, France [73]Assignee: Patentex S.A., Fribourg, Switzerland [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 197421 Appl. No.: 439,617

130] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 9, 1973 France 73.04680 [52]U.S. Cl 273/73 D [51] Int. Cl. A63B 51/00 [58] Field of Search.....273/73 R, 73 C, 73 D, 73 H {56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,733,960 10/1929 Godfrey 273/73 D 3,194,555 7/1965 Humphrey 273/73 D UX3,630,523 12/1971 Lacoste 273/73 D 3,751,034 8/1973 Portz et al. 273/73D FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 253,694 8/1964 Australia 273/73 H209,780 6/1960 Germany 273/73 D 14,147 11/1885 United Kingdom 273/73 D1,495,578 8/1967 France 273/73 D Primary Examiner-Richard J. ApleyAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT Aracquet has elements to link its stringing to the frame within which thestringing is held. Each element is hooked by means of a lug at one endinto the frame and at the other end engages a next adjacent element. Atthe one end the lug is an S-bend linked to a middle portion of theelement by a slight reverse bend. At the other end engagement isachieved by an open hook, linked to the middle portion by a bend in thesame direction as the reverse bend. The middle portion and hook lie inone plane, whereas the lug lies in another plant substantiallyperpendicular to the first plane. The elements hold each other firmly inplace around the frame and stringing further secures them in place. Themode of stringing disclosed is advantageous in avoiding acute bending ofthe strings and disposing the stringing in the plane of the holes intowhich the elements hook. Only one type of element is required, with aslight modification for only the last element to be put into position.

1 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,923,303

US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,923,303

RACKET AND STRING HOLDING ELEMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My US.Pat. No. 3 630 523 showed improvements in racquets, particularlymetal-frame racquets, according to which the strings were attached tothe frame by means of thin elements hooked into holes pierced in theframe.

Each attachment element had at one of its ends a lug for hooking it intoa hole in the frame and at the other extremity a hook by which it isengaged onto an adjacent element. Thus the number of holes which have tobe pierced in the frame is only half the number of elements and theuniformity of the stringing is improved by making the elements firmerrelative to each other.

However, the need to keep the rungs of the stringing at an equaldistance one from the other led to the description in the main patent oftwo main types of elements having either a trapezium shape or a centralindentation, these being used according to whether the two runs of onestring are parallel or perpendicular to each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is asimpler form of element which not only allows the racquet to be equippedwith a single type of element, simply by altering the length of theelements according to the position of the elements around the frame (soas to regulate the spacing of the runs), but also gives a better passageof the strings over the elements and thus a tendency to longer life tothe stringing.

According to the invention the hook of the attachment element is made inthe form of a loop which is linked to the rest of the element by a bendbehind which the string is placed, the string then passing in front ofthe lug of the adjacent element and between the hook of the firstelement and the frame, and then behind the adjoining element, near itslug.

The string makes contact with the attachement elements at several placesin a way which facilitates the sliding of the strings during stringingand which limits the wear due to their contacts with the elements.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Particular embodiments of the invention will nowbe described with reference to the attached drawing, in which FIG. 1 isa plan view of an element embodying the present invention and looking inthe direction of arrow A, FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is a side view looking in the direction of arrow B, FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing how the element can be mounted on theframe of a racquet,

FIG. 4 shows in the same way how an element is hooked onto a previouslymounted element,

FIG. 5 shows in perspective two elements hooked one to the other,

FIG. 6 shows in profile and FIG. 7 in plan how to pass a string of whichboth strands are parallel over two elements hooked to each other, theseviews being with the various parts somewhat expanded from each other forclarity,

FIG. 8 is a view analogous to FIG. 6 but showing the case where a stringhas two runs perpendicular to each other, and

FIG. 9 is a schematic and perspective view showing how the elementmounted last is held hooked to the one mounted first by the string whichpasses over these two elements.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and2 an attachment element attaches stringing to a racquet for tennis orsimilar games to the frame of such a racquet. It is made, for example,by shaping a piece of circular-section spring steel wire, and has at oneof its ends a hook 2 in the form of an open circular loop, the width ofthe opening being a little greater than the diameter of the wire fromwhich the element 1 is made.

The loop of the hook 2 is linked to the remainder of the element by abend 3 of approximately 120.

The middle portion of the element is substantially straight and issubstantially aligned with the opening of the hook. Thereafter there isa portion 4 slightly bent to the same side as the bend 3 as seen in FIG.1 while remaining substantially in the same plane as the hook 2. Thenthe wire is folded back to extend in a plane substantially perpendicularto the plane in which the hook 2' and the 'bent postion 4 extend, toform a substantially S-shaped lug 5, having a first bend a connectingportion 5 and a second bend 6 as can be clearly seen in FIG. 2. Theincluded angle within the first bend 6 of the S is about -80 and thefirst bend 5 of the S extends over less than a semicircle.

In order to put the element in place on the inner periphery of a tubularmetal frame 7 surrounding the oval stringed area of a tennis racquet,the first bend 5 of the lug 5', 6 is engaged in the hole 8 provided forthis element, while the element is held generally perpendicularly to theframe as shown in FIG. 3. Then the element is turned down towards theframe, arrow C, in such a way that its hook 2 gets positioned around andabove the hole 9 intended for the second element 10, identical toelement 1.

This element 10 is put in place in the same way as element 1 using hole9 but when it is turned down towards the frame, care is taken to seethat the middle portion engages within the loop of the hook 2 of thefirst element when, as is apparent from FIG. 4, the element 10 is movedin the direction of arrow C. As the element 10 turns down towards theframe the second bend 6 of its lug engages the hook or loop 2 of thefirst element to press it between itself and the frame (arrow D).

In FIGS. 3 and 4 the elements are shown as if at a slight angle to aside view (compare FIG. 2) so that the opening of the hook 2 can beclearly seen.

These assembly steps are repeated with subsequent elements in successionall round the inner periphery of the frame until a final element 12 isput in place to close the ring of elements. This final element 12 willbe described later.

Each element is thus held in place by its lug 5, 5, 6 the extreme end ofthe second bend of which comes to bear upon the frame wall adjacent tothe hole 8, 9 and by the pressure of the following element on its hook2. An assembly of elements in their final positions is shown in FIG. 5,which shows also how the frame 7 may be a rectangular-section strip aswell as the tube shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The shape given to the elements has been calculated to ensure a suitablearrangement of the strings ll of the racquet.

Whatever position the runs of the stringing have to adopt relative tothe frame, the said stringing is disposed in such a way that one of theruns enters into the crook formed by the bend 3 of the element whichprevents its displacement laterally in one direction (downwardly as seenin FIG. 7). The string then passes in front of the lug 5 of thefollowing element which prevents its displacement laterally of the framein the opposite direction (upwardly in FIG. 7). It also passes betweenthe hook 2 of the element 1 and the frame. It then enters into the bend4 of the element 10 which prevents its lateral displacement in thefirst-mentioned direction. When tension is applied to the string totauten the stringing this is taken up by the engagement of the end ofthe lug upon the frame wall. The mode of stringing applies whether theruns are to be parallel (FIGS. 6, 7, 9) or perpendicular (FIG. 8) toeach other.

This way of putting the strings in position allows a last element 12 tobe locked onto the first element I mounted on the frame. The element 12is similar to the other elements but differs only in that the portion ofits hook nearest the opening runs almost perpendicularly to the middleportion of the element. Even though the element 1 is firmly fixed to theframe the hook 20 of the element 12 can easily be engaged under theelbow 6 of the lug, as is seen in FIG. 9. The element 12 cannot becomeunhooked once a string 11 has passed into its bend 3 then under its hook20 in order to pass the bend 4 of the element 1. Thus the space betweenadjacent runs of the stringing 11 is substantially predetermined by theouter diameter d (FIG. 6) of the substantially circular open hook 2.

The elements which have just been described can be used for all types ofracquets, especially for racquets with tubular metal frames.

It can be seen that the presence of the bends 3 and 4 going in the samedirection at each end of the middle portion of each element allows thestrings to be placed almost exactly in the median plane of the frame ofthe racquet, as is shown in FIG. 7, since the strings when they engagein the crook of the bends 3, 4 are approximately on the line joining thecenter of the open circular loop 2 (which center will be aligned above ahole 8, 9) and the transition between the two bends of the lug 5 (thistransition being where the lug eventually engages a hole 8, 9).

Because when it is in place on the frame, each element bears on the wallof the frame by the end of its lug while the following element presseson its hook, the elements are placed under stress, which gives-them anexcellent solidarity and good elasticity, and clicking noise which wouldarise from looseness, will not occur.

The elements 1, l0, 12 are very shallow and lie near the frame, whichleaves a maximum area for the stringing and improves the aerodynamicproperties of the racquet. The elements may, moreover, be made of quitethick wire, e.g., 2 mm in diameter, which avoids excessively acutebending of the strings where the latter bend around the elements, andgives very robust elements.

The elements can be used to attach only certain of the strings forexample near the head or the heart of a racquet (i.e., the portions ofthe frame respectively mostremote from and nearest to the handle of theracquet), the other strings being mounted in any other manner which isknown and suitable. Alternatively such elements may be used for thewhole of the stringing, elements of different lengths being used atdifferent areas of the frame to maintain regularity of spacing of thestrings.

The form of element shown not only allows the racquet to be equippedwith a single type of element, simply by altering the length of theelements according to need, but also ensures a better route for thestrings throught the elements and thus longer life to the stringing.

It is self-evident that modifications can be made to the ways ofcarrying out the invention which have just been described, particularlyby the substitution of equivalent tachnical means, without for thatreason departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A racket structure comprising:

a racket frame;

a plurality of holes formed along an inner wall of said frame in spacedrelationship;

a plurality of interlinked attachment elements made of a wire materialand arranged along said frame, each of said elements having an endportion forming an s-shaped lug, a substantially straight elongatedmiddle portion, a bent portion bent away from said straight portion, andanother end portion forming a hook substantially shaped as an opencircular loop at said bent portion, the lug of each attachment elementhaving a first bend at least partly engaged in one of the holes of saidframe, a connecting portion and a second bend extending outside of therespective hole over a length greater than the cross-sectional size ofthe wire material by a predetermined amount, and the hook of a firstattachment element being engaged around the second bend of the lug of asecond attachment element adjacent to said first element;

stringing spanning said frame in a plurality of runs, said stringingconsisting of a string material having a cross-sectional size notgreater than said predetermined amount, and having stringing loopsbetween said runs, each of said stringing loops passing across the bentportion of a first attachment element, then across the hook of saidfirst element between the hook and said frame, around the connectingportion of a second attachment element adjacent to said frist elementand finally within the second bend of the lug of said second element,outside of the hook of said first element engaged around the lug of saidsecond element, whereby the space between adjacent runs of the stringingis substantially predetermined by the outer diameter of thesubstantially circular open hook of each attachment element, and whereinthe lugs of the attachment elements and the stringing lie substantiallyin a common first plane, the hooks and the straight middle portions ofsaid elements lie in a respective first plane.

1. A racket structure comprising: a racket frame; a plurality of holesformed along an inner wall of said frame in spaced relationship; aplurality of interlinked attachment elements made of a wire material andarranged along said frame, each of said elements having an end portionforming an s-shaped lug, a substantially straight elongated middleportion, a bent portion bent away from said straight portion, andanother end portion forming a hook substantially shaped as an opencircular loop at said bent portion, the lug of each attachment elementhaving a first bend at least partly engaged in one of the holes of saidframe, a connecting portion and a second bend extending outside of therespective hole over a length greater than the cross-sectional size ofthe wire material by a predetermined amount, and the hook of a firstattachment element being engaged around the second bend of the lug of asecond attachment element adjacent to said first element; stringingspanning said frame in a plurality of runs, said stringing consisting ofa string material having a crosssectional size not greater than saidpredetermined amount, and having stringing loops between said runs, eachof said stringing loops passing across the bent portion of a firstattachment element, then across the hook of said first element betweenthe hook and said frame, around the connecting portion of a secondattachment element adjacent to said frist element and finally within thesecond bend of the lug of said second element, outside of the hook ofsaid first element engaged around the lug of said second element,whereby the space between adjacent runs of the stringing issubstantially predetermined by the outer diameter of the substantiallycircular open hook of each attachment element, and wherein the lugs ofthe attachment elements and the stringing lie substantially in a commonfirst plane, the hooks and the straight middle portions of said elementslie in a respective second plane, substantially perpendicular to saidfirst plane.